The overarching message of Moana is, truly, that the worst thing to happen to you doesn't have to define you. Moana's father lives in fear due to a tragic past; Maui feels as though he is missing a critical part of himself without his hook; Te Fiti turns into a literal monster after she is attacked.
Te Fiti does not have a direct translation to the English language. The Hawaiian alphabet does not contain the letters T or F, so the name Te Fiti has no exact meaning. Others suggest that it is of African origin, and means “giver of life,” according to the website Names Org.
Although Moana is from the fictional island Motunui some 3,000 years ago, the story and culture of Moana is based on the very real heritage and history of Polynesian islands such as Hawaii, Samoa, Tonga, and Tahiti. In fact, once you start looking for ties to Polynesian culture in Moana, it's hard to stop!
Meaning:Trickster god. Maui is a boy's name of Hawaiian and Maori origin. This name belongs to a trickster god in Polynesian mythology, and was also given to one of the Hawaiian islands.
Lilo (lī'-lo), v. 1. To be off, separated from, or be transferred in various ways. 2. To become another's; to pass into the possession of another; lilo mai, to obtain; to possess; lilo aku, to be lost; to perish.
Moana—pronounced “moh-AH-nah,” not “MWAH-nah” means “ocean”—and the character is chosen by the sea itself to return the stolen heart of Te Fiti, who turns out to be an island deity (Tahiti, in its various linguistic forms, including Tafiti, is a pan-Polynesian word for any faraway place).
Origin:Hawaiian. Meaning:Garden island; Place around the neck. Kauai is a boy's name replete with vibrancy and nourishing natural beauty. Named for the Hawaiian island Kauaʻi a, Kauai means "garden island"—Yet legend suggests a much sweeter translation.
In Walt Disney Animation Studios' all-new epic animated musical, Moana 2, three years since her first voyage, Moana is on an expansive journey in search of people beyond the shores of Motunui. Moana 2 opens in theaters on Nov. 27, 2024.
Maui, for example, is a real demigod in Polynesian culture who works toward the good of humankind. He is normally depicted as a teenage boy, except in the movie. Maui is portrayed as an overweight and unintelligent man in the movie, which is an offensive image of the culture.
Te Ka and Te Fiti from Disney's Moana represent the destructive and creative forces of nature, respectively. Te Ka is a spirit of fire and volcanoes who represents the destructive power of nature, while Te Fiti is a goddess of life and growth who represents the creative power of nature.
While Te Fiti is a largely compassionate entity, Te Kā is - quite literally - a heartless creature with a fiery disposition. The theft of her heart had stripped her of Te Fiti's benevolence, replacing it with malice aimed at both Maui and the world at large.
She follows in the footsteps of recent female Disney characters like Elsa from Frozen and Merida from Brave, for whom a boyfriend isn't their first concern. Moana is released in December. Eliminating Prince Charming isn't the only big change Disney are making with Moana.
The animated Disney film, Moana, called Vaiana in the French version, was inspired by The Islands of Tahiti. Disney's creative team visited the islands of Moorea, Tahiti and Huahine, which was the inspiration for the character Te Fiti. Follow our visitor's guide in the footsteps of Moana.
Although Moana's relationship with Maui never extends beyond the platonic level in the film, and although he is a 1,000-year old demigod and she is a 16-year old human, a lot of fans of the film like to put her and Maui in a romantic pairing known as Hooked Wayfinder.
Story By Cheryl Chee Tsutsumi. “Hang loose,” “Right on,” “Thank you,” “Things are great,” “Take it easy” – in Hawaii, the shaka sign expresses all those friendly messages and more. As kamaaina know, to make the shaka, you curl your three middle fingers while extending your thumb and baby finger.
The Hawaiian alphabet does not contain the letters T or F, so the name Te Fiti has no exact meaning. However, some fans believe that the name is a translation of the Maori language from the Eastern Polynesian area, set to mean “far off place.”
